Some people love to bake but not me. I'm trying to reduce my sugar intake anyway, but the fact is I'm really just not that good at baking anyway. I'm having friends over for an Italian Buffet this Sunday and I thought I'd make a dessert I learned in Florence. It doesn't look pretty but I know it's going to taste outrageous. It has a simple crust on the outside and orange pudding on the inside.

TORTA DELLA NONNA

Serves 8

For Pie Pastry:

2 cup flour

pinch of salt

2/3 cup of sugar

2 lemons, rind (use microplane)

1 cup of butter, room temp

4 egg yolks

For the Custard:

2 cups of milk

2 oranges, juice and rind

3 egg yolks

pinch of salt

½ cup of sugar

4 tablespoons of flour

For Decorating:

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven 400 degrees

10” spring form pan or a 9" fluted pan

Make Pie Pastry:

Mix flour with salt, sugar and lemon rind.

Add butter in pieces and mix with fingers until crumbly.

Add the yolks and mix.

Roll out the pastry in 2 rings (making one slightly bigger).

Place smaller one into bottom of a spring form pan coming up sides just slightly. Save larger for top (roll out on parchment paper to make transition easier). Place in refrigerator while making custard.

Make Custard:

Bring the milk to a boil with the grated orange rind and juice.

In a metal bowl whisk the yolks with salt and sugar till white and fluffy.

Add the flour to yolks and stir.

Gradually add boiled milk to the metal bowl and stir.

Put custard back into pot on stove.

Bring the custard to a boil and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly.

Okay, I agree this is time consuming but trust me it’s delicious!

Pour custard back into metal bowl and place that bowl into a larger bowl that is filled with ice and water to cool the custard – approximately 10-15 minutes.

Place custard on top of pie pastry in the spring form pan.

Carefully place top layer of pie pastry on top (could roll out on parchment paper to make this transition easier).